Steel-Cut Oats — Cups to Grams Conversion
One cup of steel-cut oats weighs 160g, nearly double the weight of rolled oats, since the dense, uncut pieces pack far more tightly.
Steel-Cut Oats Cups to Grams Chart
| Cups | Grams |
|---|---|
| ¼ cup | 40g |
| ⅓ cup | 53g |
| ½ cup | 80g |
| ¾ cup | 120g |
| 1 cup | 160g |
| 1½ cups | 240g |
| 2 cups | 320g |
| 3 cups | 480g |
Source: King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart · Measurement method: Spooned & levelled
Tablespoon & Teaspoon Weights
| Measure | Grams | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tbsp (US/UK — 15ml) | 10g | Standard in US, UK, Canada |
| 1 tbsp (Australian — 20ml) | 13.3g | One-third larger than US/UK |
| 1 tsp (5ml — universal) | 3.3g | Same worldwide |
About Steel-Cut Oats
Steel-cut oats are whole oat groats chopped into small, dense pieces with a steel blade, rather than steamed and rolled flat. They have a nutty flavour and a dense, chewy texture, and take considerably longer to cook than rolled or quick oats. Because they remain hard and uncooked in a standard batter, they are almost never used raw in baking, since the finished bake would be unpleasantly crunchy.
Why the Weight Per Cup Varies
Steel-cut oats pack tightly with very little air space, since they are dense, compact pieces of the whole groat rather than flattened flakes. A cup weighs 160g, nearly double the weight of rolled oats, even though both come from the same grain.
Names in Different Countries
"Steel-cut oats" (US/AU) is called "pinhead oats" or "coarse oatmeal" in the UK and Ireland, referring to the small, hard pieces the steel blade produces.
Common Recipe Uses
Stovetop or overnight porridge, savoury grain bowls, and, only once fully cooked and cooled, as a chewy addition to bread dough or granola.
Substitutions
Do not substitute raw for rolled or quick oats in baking. If a recipe calls for cooked steel-cut oats, cook them fully, cool completely, and use as directed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not raw — they are far too hard and will remain crunchy in the finished bake. Cook them fully and cool completely first, and only use them in a recipe specifically designed for cooked oats.
Rolled oats are flattened flakes that trap a lot of air; steel-cut oats are dense, uncut pieces of groat that pack tightly with very little air space, 160g versus 90g per cup.
Typically 20 to 30 minutes on the stovetop, considerably longer than the 5 to 10 minutes rolled oats need.
10g for a US/UK tablespoon (15ml), or 13.3g for an Australian tablespoon (20ml).
Recommended for accurate baking
A digital kitchen scale accurate to 1g removes all measurement guesswork. Affiliate links will appear here once approved for Amazon Associates.
This section may contain affiliate links. We only recommend products directly relevant to accurate measurement.